Sunday, 2 June 2013

Reinforcements And A Senior Free Syrian Army Member Arrive In Qusayr

Since the fighting began between opposition forces and Syrian government forces including Hezbollah and National Defense Force fighters in Qusayr, Homs, a number of videos and statements have been posted by opposition groups from across the country claiming that reinforcements were on the way. For example, this video shows Colonel Abdul-Jabbar Mohammed Aqidi, a senior member of the Free Syrian Army's Supreme Military Council, claiming to be on the way to Qusayr

In the video he says

Today I am with my brother Abdulkader Al-Saleh and a pretty big group of fighters on our way to relieve our brothers in Qusayr. We expect to reach Qusayr tomorrow. We are coming to you Bashar and Nasr Allah, and will target your strongholds in Al-Dahiyah (Southern Beirut) as long as you continue your aggression against the Syrian people and our brothers in Homs. We assure all the Syrian people and especially those in Homs that many fighters are coming to relieve our brothers in Homs and in Qusayr. By God’s assistance we will be victorious.

The above video is from May 22nd, and while it took more than one more day to reach Qusayr, this following video posted on June 2nd from Qusayr shows Colonel Aqidi with Hadi Al-Abdallah, an activist from Homs who has been working in Qusayr over the past few weeks

Here's a transcript of the video

Hadi - From here, from beloved Qusayr, Col Aqidi and the head of the Military Council in Qusayr Abu Arab are making field visits to the fighters at the frontlines. We are now in central Qusayr. We have been relieved by the Military Council in Aleppo and Tawheed Brigade, and also by our brothers in Deir Al-Zoor headed by Al-Ausra Army. We are waiting for other fighters to arrive.
At first we would like to thank you for coming to relieve us. You are amongst the very few who came to assist us and preferred to come here personally to defend beloved Qusayr.Aqidi - First of all, we see this as our duty, and the duty of all Muslims and all free Syrians to answer this call for support and to come to rescue our besieged brothers and to try to lift this siege. All the Syrian lands and all the Syrian people are one. I call on fighters everywhere in Syria to relieve our brothers here.Hadi - Did you have any difficulties while on your way to here?Aqidi - You know, it wasn't very much easy to get to here, but when there’s determination man can achieve whatever he wants. Similarly, it was not very difficult to get to here because more than 70% of Syria is now liberated. We traveled wide parts of Syria while on our way to Qusayr.Hadi - What’s your message to the battalions and brigades around Qusayr and in other parts of Syria?Aqidi - I call on them not to leave Qusayr, and I also ask them not to hang around with things that are inessential to the revolution. Our aim is to topple this criminal regime who ruined most of the country. We saw that Qusayr is completely in ruins, mosques, schools and houses are all destroyed. The battlefield is here, so nobody should give up the town. If some are afraid of death, I would say death is everywhere. The regime’s troops and Hezbollah’s militia won’t enter the town unless that was on our bodies.Hadi - How is the battle going? How far can you check the onslaught of Assad’s and Hezbollah’s troops who are attacking form all sides?Aqidi - Apart from driving them back, we will attack them and seize the surrounding town and villages that fell to them. We set up a joint command headquarters that includes all the units here. As you have seen, everything is well arranged and we moved from the defence to the attack. We will direct fatal blows to Hezbollah. This flag is the only one that was filmed with the martyrs of Qusayr, you deserve it.Aqidi - We ask God to grant us martyrdom.

It's worth taking note of the location they are in at the start of the video, where you can see both the damaged minaret of a mosque on the left, and a clock tower to the right

This video filmed on May 23rd shows the same location, starting with a shot of the minaret, and then the clock tower

The mosque and clock tower featured in both videos are at Aisha Square, in the center of Qusayr, and this would seem to suggest that in more than a week of fighting the opposition still holds control of that central part of Qusayr.

In another video from June 2nd Colonel Aqidi takes a tour of the battlefield with Hadi Al-Abdallah

Here's the a partial transcript, with additional translation and comments via my translator

0:10 The fighter speaking is from Deir Alzoor city, judging by his accent. The writing on his vehicle reads: “ Ahfad Aisha Battalions”.1:05Hadi - We are now on a field trip to some of the battle front-lines, Col Aqidi is checking with us. Fighters from Aleppo and Deir Al-Zoor have already arrived.2:20 Un-named man - I am the head of the Military Council in Qusayr, I welcome those who arrived here from Aleppo to relieve and assist us, I also give many thanks to the people of Aleppo.2:52 fighter from Deir Al-Zoor Qusayr is ours. I call on the fighters in Der Al-Zoor to join us.3:48Hadi - We are getting closer to the first front-line in the eastern side of the town where our fighters are clashing with Hezbollah fighters. Col Aqidi and Abu Arab are having a look at the front-line.4:40 Un-named man - I have always hoped to meet you, now with you being here our morale rose from 100% to 200%.5:27 Un-named man - We will fight to the last man.6:23Hadi - Fighters from Al-Ausra Army of Deir Al-Zoor and from Aleppo are in one trench with our fighters and are fighting side by side. We are waiting for fighters from other cities to arrive her and join us.10:40 Aqidi - We don’t know a thing called ‘tactical retreat’, all our moves must be forward, not a step back even if the tanks rolled on our bodies, they haven’t known the people of Syria yet, we seek martyrdom as much as they seek survival. They (Hezbollah) think that their so-called war against Israel in 2006 will fool us.12:50 Aqidi - I assure you more and more fighters are coming with ammo and arms.13:05 Un-named man - Morale is very high.16:00 Aqidi - We will retaliate against Hezbollah’s aggression in his territory, in southern Dahiyah.

So while it's unclear exactly how many men and what equipment has arrived in Qusayr, it does seem that at least some reinforcements have reached the town, and the question is now, is there more to come?